Safety Procedures

The Dress Code

Concern for personal appearance is an indication of self-respect and of courtesy toward others. All dress should be evidence of appropriateness, modesty, and good taste. We ask that parents take responsibility to make sure that their children adhere to the dress code guidelines of SDS. The following guidelines are provided but should not be viewed as an exhaustive list. The determination of appropriateness and neatness rests with the Division Head.

Clothing

Clothing should be clean, in a good state of repair, and fit properly – no frayed ends, no holes in clothes, etc.

Students should avoid clothing that is excessively baggy or excessively tight.

Undergarments should not be visible.

Shirts should not display any writing other than small logos. Offensive messages and advertisements for alcohol and tobacco will not be permitted. No T-shirts.

Jeans are permitted, but athletic (shorts, sweatpants or jerseys) attire and fatigues are not.

Shoes should provide an appropriate level of comfort, support, and protection for the varied activities of the school day. Flip-flops, crocs, and similarly casual shoes are not permitted. Activities may be limited without proper footwear.

Pullovers and sweatshirts over legal shirts are permitted. Show your school pride by wearing Day School sweatshirts!

Headgear

Hats and hoods should be removed inside the building except on special occasions approved by the division head.

Scarfs and other head adornments should not cover the head, but exceptions are made for religious purposes.

Hair should be neat and clean. Extreme styles such as Mohawks and unnatural color are not permitted. Hair should be styled so that eyes are visible.

Boys

Shirts should have a collar and sleeves. Turtlenecks and mock-turtlenecks are allowed.

Shirts should not display any writing other than small logos.

Shirts should be tucked-in.

Girls

Collared or collarless blouses/shirts must cover the shoulders and back. The tops may not reveal midriff, be low cut or excessively tight.

Skirts, dresses and shorts should extend below the tips of the fingers when arms are relaxed at your sides.

Leggings may be worn under skirts and dresses that are the appropriate length.

Off-campus field trips

Boys should wear trousers (khaki-like), collared shirts (tucked), a belt, and shoes that cover their feet.

Girls should wear correspondingly dressy attire.

Exceptions depend on the activity of the field trip.

With this dress code, there are some parameters that are difficult to define precisely (e.g. flip-flops and what is considered a T-shirt for girls). The only path to consistency, short of a uniform, is for the Division Head to be the ultimate judge of whether an item of clothing meets the standards of the dress code. The first few weeks of school will be considered a learning process for the areas of the dress code that are less clearly defined. Please be patient and understanding when the Division Head’s definition is different than your own.

In light of the need to keep parents informed and a supportive part of the process and especially during the first few weeks of school, some violations of the dress code will only result in verbal correction or a call home to help students and parents understand the parameters. However, as soon as we believe students and parents understand the expectations, we will ask students to resolve any dress code violation before attending class.In some cases, that may mean the student will be required to change clothes.To avoid missing class time unnecessarily, a student might wish to keep an extra change of clothes in his or her locker.